Flash light attachment for batteries



Aug. 21, .1934. 1-. KmGSBURY 1,971,266

FLASH LIGHT A1"I.ACHMEN'J.' FOR BATTERIES Filed latch 18, 1935 Patented Aug. 21, 1934 FLASH LIGHT ATTACHMENT FOR- BATTERIES Harry T. Kingsbury, Keene, N. H., assignor to Kingsbury Mfg. Company, Keene, N. H., a corporation of New Hampshire ApplicationMarch 18, 1933, Serial No. 661,615

13 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in flashlights and more particularly to an improved light supporting cap adapted to be placed on the usual dry cell or other battery and to an improved switch mechanism to be used in connection therewith.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved resilient cap adapted to engage one end of a dry cell battery and adapted to support a light bulb and switch mechanism.

A further object of the invention is to provide an elastic cap, of the type referred to, which may be placed on batteries of various sizes and which will firmly engage the same and protect the battery from moisture and other extraneous matter.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved switch mechanism which is carried by the cap member and which is easily operated and applied to the device.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved elastic cap, of the type referred to, which is complete, in itself; that is, it supports the light bulb and switch mechanism so that a new battery may be readily installed at any time.

The invention still further aims to provide an improved flashlightattachment, of the type referred to, which is inexpensive to manufacture, attractive in appearance and which is readily 30 applied to any ordinary battery.

These and other objects of the invention will be obvious and will be hereinafter more fully described.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevation partly in section showing the assembled unit and one form of switch.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the same.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation showing a difierent form of switch mechanism andreflector.

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the same. Fig. 6 is a side elevation showing another form of reflector and switch arrangement.

It is the purpose of the present invention to provide an inexpensive battery attachment which may be applied to any ordinary battery to render it useful as a flashlight. In order to 'more readily understand the invention, reference will be had to the accompanying drawing in which Figs; 1, 2 and 3 illustrate one embodiment of the invention. Any form of-dry cell 10 or other battery maybe used in connection with the'present invention. I A bottom cap or base 11 is made of molded rubber or other elastery. The flange 15 is provided with an inter nal ledge 16 adapted to rest on the top of the battery. The body portion 14 of the cap is provided with a centrally located depending portion 17 and a concave portion 18. The concave portion 18 may be polished or otherwise treated to provide a reflecting surface but in the present instance, a reflector 19 of suitable material is inserted in the concave portion and is held there by an internal circumferential bead '20 on the top of the cap 14. Anopening 21 passes centrally through the cap from the concave portion through the. depending portion 17 to receive the base of a light bulb 22 which passes through an opening in the reflector. The terminal 23 on the light base is adapted to contact with the battery terminal 24. It will be seen that a space is provided between thetop of the battery and the under side of the cap 14. The depending portion 14 is thus permitted to flex slightly without disturbing the mounting of the light bulb 22 whereby to permit the cap 14 to be applied to batteries of different sizes. It is, of course, apparent that a threaded metal member may be secured in the opening 21in the cap 14 to receive the base of the light bulb without departing from the scope of the invention.

The switch mechanism, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, will now be described. A substantially U- shaped wire member 25, the leg portions 26, 26

. of which are passed through the elastic 'cap and are adapted to engage the base 22 of the light. The closed end of the wire member 25 is bent downwardlyover the outside of the flange 15. A second'wire member 27 has one end 27* thereof passed through the portion 14% of the cap and inserted between the battery covering 28 and the zinc casing of thebattery in order to contact therewith. The other end 2'7 of the wire 27 is bent over the flange 15 betweenthe depending leg portions 26, 26 of the wire 25. A slidable m'etallic member 29 has the edges30 thereof curled upon the depending leg portions 26, 26 to frictionally engage the same whereby to permit sliding thereof. The member 29 is provided with a handle portion 31 and a tongue 32 bent inwardly toward the battery. The member 29 is normally spaced from the wire 27 sothat there isno contact. When, however, pressure is exerted laterally on the member 29, the said mem-' ber will be urged inwardly and so contact with the end 27 of the wire 27 and thus complete the electric light circuit. When it is desired to continuously light the bulb, the operator may slide the member 29 upwardly on the leg portions of the wire 25 so that the tongue 32 thereon will contact with the end 27 of the wire 27 and thus complete the electric light circuit.

In Figs. 4 and 5 there is illustrated a. different form of the invention. In this form the cap member 33 is provided with a recess 34 above the battery top and with an upstanding central portion 35 through which 'is an opening to receive the base 22 of light bulb 22. The light terminal 23 is adapted to contact with the battery terminal 24 in the manner heretofore described. The cap 33 is provided with a depending flange 36 adapted to elastically engage the side of a battery 10. A different form of reflector 37 may be employed, in which event it is secured over the upstanding portion 35.

The switch mechanism, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, is of a slightly difierent form. A substantially U-shaped wire 38 is adapted to contact with the base 22 of the light bulb. The leg portions 39, 39 pass through the cap and engage the sides of the light base. The closed end of the wire 38 lies in a horizontal plane and is spaced from the cap 34. A second wire member 40 has one end 40 passed through the cap and inserted between the covering 28 and the zinc casing of the battery. The other end40 of the wire 40 is bent at right angles and lies in a horizontal plane spaced from the plane of the wire member 38. In normal position the end 40 of the wire 40'lies beneath the closed end of the wire 38 and spaced therefrom. When it is desired to complete the light circuit for intermittent operation, the closed end of the wire 38 may be depressed which will cause the same to contact with the'end 40 of the wire 40 thereby completing the electric light circuit. When it is desired to'leave the light on, the portion 40 of the wire 40 may be turned in a clockwise direction (Fig. 5) and urged in fixed contact relation with the wire 38 by the wedging action of a projection 41 onthe cap 34. This projection 41 will retain the contact relation until the operator turns the portion 40 in a counterclockwise direction. In shipping these completed units, it is desirable to turn the wire portion 40 in a counterclockwise direction to a position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5 so that any accidental pressure on the wire 38 will not complete the circuit since the portion 40 is removed.

In Fig. 6, a similar cap 34 is used but a different reflector 42 is secured to the upstanding portion 35 on the cap. In this case the wire 38 is similar to that shown in Figs. 4 and 5 but the other wire 43, instead of being inserted between the zinc casing and the cover 28 of the battery, the end 43 thereof is passed through the cap 34 and engages the casing at the top of the battery. In this case, the battery does not have an insulating compound over the top but may have a contact surface adjacent the terminal 24. The wire portion 43 is bent at right angles and is operated in a manner similar to that previously described in connection with Figs. 4 and 5. In each case a portion 34 of the cap 34 rests upon the top of the battery.

It will be noted that in operating the switch mechanism, the inherent elasticity of the soft rubber caps 14, 34 permit the bending of the switch member to complete the electric circuit and likewise the elasticity of the caps will cause the switch member to return to its normal position when pressure is relieved from the switch member. This deformation of the rubber caps is particularly advantageous and the principle may be employed in diiferent forms of switch mechanisms without departing from the scope of the invention. For instance the making and breaking point may be at the point of contact between the bulb and the battery because of the elasticity of the soft rubber caps.

It is to be further noted that the elasticity of the cap serves to support the base 22 or sleeve end of the light bulb. and likewise grips the terminal end of the battery to effectually seal the same and thus prevent moisture or other extraneous matter from causing damage.

It will be apparent fromthe foregoing description that a novel and inexpensive device is provided which may be mounted on a battery for use as a flashlight. The cap which supports the light bulb and switch mechanism is made of rubher or other elastic material which permits an elastic grip on the battery and effectually protects the battery from damage by contact with any extraneous substance. The elasticity of the caps, both bottom and top, insure a perfectly tight fit regardless of any variation in size or shape of the battery whereby to seal the ends of the battery. The label on the battery will, of course, be in view and may thus serve as an advertisement, or another wrapper may be put on the battery. The. switch mechanism is simple, inexpensively manufactured, readily applied to the cap and highly eflicient in operation. The soft rubber caps may be used to fit any size of battery. Thus it is apparent that a reliable flashlight is provided one in which an important item is its relative inexpensiveness.

It is, of course, obvious that minor changes in details of construction and arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the scope of the invention asset forth in the appended claims.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is: r

1. A bulb supporting structure for an electric battery flashlight, comprising a body of elastically yielding insulating material having means for elastically gripping and sealing the terminal end of an electric battery, said body also having an aperture for receiving the sleeve end of an electric light bulb whereby the bulb is elastically supported and sealed with a terminal thereof adapted to contact with a battery terminal, and switch means supported by said body for connecting the other battery terminal with other light bulb terminal.

'2. A bulb supporting structure for an electric battery flashlight, comprising a body of elastically yielding insulating material having means for gripping and sealing the terminal end of an electric battery, said body also having an aperture for receiving the sleeve end of an electric light bulb whereby the bulb is supported with a terminal thereof adapted to contact with a battery terminal, and switch means including an element yieldably supported by said body for connecting the other terminal of said bulb with the other terminal bf said battery whereby the elasyieldingly support ticity of said body is adapted to normally hold said element out of circuit closing position.

3. A bulb supporting structure for an electric battery flashlight, comprising a body of elastically yielding insulating material having means for elastically gripping and sealing the terminal end of an electric battery, said body also having means for receiving and elastically supporting and sealing the base of an electric light bulb, and conductive means for completing an electric circuit between the battery and bulb terminals.

4. A bulb supporting structure for an electric battery flashlight, comprising a body of elasti? cally yielding insulating material having means for gripping the terminal end of an electric battery, said body also having means for receiving and supporting the base of anelectric' light bulb, and conductive means carried by said body for connecting one terminal of the battery with one terminal of the bulb, said body being deformable for completing a'circuit betweensaid battery and said bulb and operating by its inherent elasticity upon release from such deformation to open said circuit.

5. A bulb supporting structure for an electric battery flashlight, comprising; a body of soft rubber having an integral flange for. elastic-ally gripping and sealing the, terminal end of an electric battery, said body also having an aperture for receiving and elastically-supporting and sealing the base of an electric light bulb, and conductive means for completing -a circuit between the battery and bulb terminals.

6. A bulb supporting structure for an electric batt'ery flashlight,-comprising a body of soft rubber having integral. portions for elastically gripping and sealing the terminal end of an electric battery, said body also having an aperture for receiving and elasticallysupporting and sealing anelectric light bulb, circuit conductors including an element extending into and yieldinglysupported by said body and engageable with one terminal of the light bulb, and means for completing the electric-light circult. 1

'7. A-bulb supporting and switch structure for an electric battery flashlight, comprising a body of soft rubber having an integral flange for elastically gripping and sealing anelectric battery at the terminal end thereof, said bodyalso having an apertured portion for elastically receiving, supporting and sealing the sleeve end of anelectric light bulb, and conductive means carried by said body, said body being deformable to complete an electric circuit between said battery and said bulb and operating by its elasticity upon release from such deformation to open said circuit.

8. A bulb supporting structure for an electric battery flashlight, comprising a body of elastically yielding material having an integral flange to grip the terminal end of a battery and an apertured portion to receive and support thebase of an electric light bulb with a terminal adjacent a battery terminal, and means for. completing an electric light circuit between said battery 3..ld. said bulb, said means being caused by the inherent elasticity of the body to normally 9. A flashlight comprising a battery and means for preventing the access of extraneous matter and moisture to theends of said battery, said means including an elastically yielding cap member adapted to fit over and elastically grip and seal the terminal end of said battery, said cap member being adapted to elastically support and seal the sleeve end of an electric light bulb and to a switch mechanism, said switchmechanism being normally held in circuit open the circuit.

opening position by the elasticity of said cap member, and a second elastically yielding member adapted to fit over and seal the opposite end of said battery.

10. A bulb supporting structure for an electric battery flashlight, comprising a cap member having means for gripping and sealing the terminal end of an electric battery and having an aperture for receiving and sealing the sleeve end of an elec tric light bulb in contact with a battery terminal,

said cap member being also adapted to support a 11. A bulb supporting structure for an electric battery flashlight, comprising an elastic cap member adapted. to elastically grip and seal the terminal end of an electric battery, said cap member havinga concave surface and an aperture therein for receiving and sealing the sleeve end of an electric light bulb, said cap member also having a bead extending inwardly around the top of said concave surface, a reflector withinsaid concave surface and adapted to be held therein by said bead, and means carried by said cap member for completing an electric lighting circuit between said battery and said light bulb.

12. A bulb supporting and switch structure for an-electric battery flashlight, comprising a cap memberof elastically yielding material, said cap member being adapted to grip and seal the terminal end of an electric battery and being provided-with an aperture for receiving and supporting the sleeve end of an electric light bulb with its terminal adapted to contact with a battery terminal, and a switch device supported by said cap member, said switch device including a substantially U-shaped wire having the leg portions thereof adapted'to engage the sleeve end of said light bulb, a second wire member adapted to engage one battery terminal and a member secured to said U-shaped wire for sliding movement thereon and having a contact portion adapted to engage said second wire member in one position for permanently completing an electric lighting circuit. a

13. A bulb supporting and switch structure for an electric battery flashlight comprising a cap memberhaving a skirt portion adapted to grip and seal the terminal end of an electric battery and having -an aperture adapted to receive and support the sleeve end of an electric light bulb in contact .with a batteryterminal, and a switch mechanism supported by said cap member. said switch mechanism including a wire member extending through said cap member and in contact with the sleeve end of said light bulb and a second wire member adapted to engage terminal and having a swinging angular portion above said cap member, said cap member having a projection adjacent said first wire member whereby the angular portion of said second wire member may be swung over said projection and held thereby in contact with said first wire member.

HARRY T. KINGSBURY.

the other battery 

